NSDC, SASASNET Sign MoU On Skills, Apprenticeship

A subsidiary of the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), NSDC International Limited and the Sub-Saharan Africa Skills and Apprenticeship Stakeholders Network (SASASNET), have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to promote, standardise, coordinate and support the skills and apprenticeship agenda in member countries.

A statement by the NBTE spokesperson, Hajiya Fatimah Abubakar, said the MoU aims to foster collaboration between NSDC International and SASASNET to promote, standardize, coordinate and support the skills and apprenticeship agenda in member countries.
She said the partnership signified a milestone in advancing skills development and narrowing the existing skill gap across sectors in the sub-Saharan African region.

Abubakar said the MoU outlined areas of cooperation, to include; strengthening sector skill councils (SSCs) in SASASNET member countries; knowledge support for setting up new SSCs; sharing effective skills and lifelong learning strategies; developing the skilling landscape, including policy interventions and work-based learning; developing a strong industry interface through sectoral skill gap analysis.

Other areas, according to her are developing sector-specific occupational standards; Digitization of TVET systems and processes; setting up the skills authority; skills for mutually beneficial migration; innovation in the skilling ecosystem and facilitating partnerships with stakeholders in member countries.
The spokesperson further said the MoU does not constitute a legally binding agreement but reflects the intentions of the parties to cooperate on ad-hoc projects and initiatives.

She said definitive agreements will follow the execution of this MoU.

She stated that the Sub-Saharan Africa Skills and Apprenticeship Stakeholders Network (SASASNET) is a continental organisation established to promote, standardize, coordinate, and support the skills and apprenticeship agenda in member countries.

The MoU which was signed virtually has in attendance the CEO NSDC, Chair and SG SASASNET and Exco members as well as ILO representatives.